Refrigerator



July 3, 1951 w. L. MoRRlsoN 2,559,367

REFRIGERATOR Filed NOV. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-sheet l fnijenlozi Pfff/9rd L. Mr'rsorv M Zorn?? S `luly 3, 1951 W. L. MORRISON REFRIGERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1947 July 3, 1951 w. l.. MORRISON 2,559,367

REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 10, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 3, 1951 w. L. MORRISON REFRIGERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheell 4 Filed Nov. 10, 1947 nvenl'or Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE Willlldl.. mmm. Application Hive-ier l., 1,17. SBI!! NO. 'im

4 ching (u. sz-iic) My invention relates to an improvement in refrigerators and has for one purpose to provide an improved two-temperaturezone refrigerator.

Another purpose is to isolate the two different vapor pressures in the two temperature zones from each other.

Another purpose is to provide a vapor pressure separator to prevent the colder zone from stealing moisture from the warmer zone.

Another purpose is to make this separator a cover for the lower zone and a drip pan for the upper zone.

Another purpose is to make this separator of a heat-conducting material.

Another purpose is to place this separator a distance above the top of the evaporator plates of the colder zone.

Another purpose is to have both zones accessible through one vertical door placed above the top of the colder zone.

Another purpose is to use a two-stage compressor, the vapor from the warmer zone entering at an intermediate position between the two stages, whereas the vapor from the low-temperature evaporator will enter the intake of the lowpressure stage.

Another purpose is to utilize a two-stage compressor to supply the two different back pmsures desired.

Another purpose is to have the pressure in the suction line control the ow of refrigerant to the evaporators.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate the invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the entire refrigerator and showing the refrigeration circuit;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the refrigerator;

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is the same View as Figure 4 except with the door in an open position.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, A indicates the upper and higher temperature zone of the refrigerator, and B represents the lower temperature zone of the refrigerator. C and CC represent the twostage compressor driven by a motor M.l D represents a condenser and R a receiver. E represents a low-temperature evaporator, and EE represents a higher temperature evaporator. F is the suction line from the evaporator EE, and G is the suction line from the evaporator E. A feed line to both evaporators is represented as -nwannmnnarrtonuuruie flowoftothetwoevaporators,

Ianysuihblebaselindmatesan outsldewallwithlbebweenieoutsile wallanlltheeval lindicatesastrong walltosupportabottomwalllof thetlngxmes. TheevapatsEandEEareheldinpositionandspacedfromtheoutsidewallbyinsulat- 'Willockx'.

TheevaporatorsEandEEconsistofaplate 'I with athehed tubes l carrying t. It isthatanyotherformofevapmator could be med, as the evaporator construction is notapartofthisinvention. TheevaporatorE endsat'laandthespace! aboveitisanunrefrigeratedairspaeethatactstoinsulatethetwo temperature zones. The upper evaporator plate EE is bent slightly inward at its lower edge 1b.

In the upper part of the refrigerator. slightly belowtheevaporatorEE, is avaporpressure separator I.. This vapor pressure separator is a removable cover for the low-temperature area. andadrippanforiehighertemperaturearea. Itismadeofaheat-conducngmaterialand dosnotformaninsulationwallbetwcenthetwo areas. However. it prevents the colder evaporator from stealing moisture from the wanner areawhichwould happenhecauseoithetemperature differential the two zones it there were nothing to prevent this moisture transfer.

To maintain, for example. a temperature of 30 F. in the evaporator EE, it is necessary to keepapressureoispoundsinthesuctionline. A presure regulator for this purposeis indicated at Il. Likewise, to u :rw-'r a temperature of 0 F. in the evaporator E, a preure regulator l2 isplacedinthesuctionlinesothatapressure of 9 polmds is maintained in the suction line.

Attached to the vertical door i3 are shelves M for holding the food. These shelves swing out withthedoor whenitisopenedsothatitiseasy to remove food. This arrangement also makes the food in the lower compartment accessible by removing. the vapor separator lll. On the inner face of the door li is a refrigeration seal IE6.

More shelf space t5 is also available at the rear of the compartment on shelves attached to the evaporator walls.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

In it is desirable to have a refrigerator with two temperature zones It is a further convenience to have the two zones accessible through one door. By placing the door on the side and above the colder zone, the loss of cold is reduced to the However, without some separation., the colder evaporator would steal moisture from the warmer evaporator. Thus I have devised a means assess? of separating these two areas with a slidable drip pan that can be easily removed. I This pan ts snugly in the space between the two temperature evaporators and thus acts as a cover to the lower temperature area. This acts as a vapor pressure separator so that a moist box at approximately `30" F. can be maintained in the warmer area.

Both evaporators are adequate to eliminate a temperature differential within their zones. A pressure regulator-on each suction line controls the ow of refrigerant into the evaporators so that the desired temperature can be maintained in each.

With these two temperature zones I use a twostage compressor. The vapor from the warmer zone evaporator will be conveyed to the intermediate position between the two stages, whereas the vapor from the low-temperature evaporator will be conveyed to the intake of the low-pressure stage. Otherwise, a conventional refrigeration circuit is employed whereby the compressors deliver the gaseous refrigerant to the condenser D. After condensation the refrigerant is stored in the receiver R from where it feeds to the evaporators E and EE. An automatic control valve J controls the ow of refrigerant into the evaporator E so as to maintain a temperature of F. The other automatic control valve K controls the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator EE so as to maintain a temperature of 30 F.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore -wlsh my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

1 In a refrigerator, two refrigerating chambers one above the other, the sole access to the lower chamber being through the bottom of the upper chamber, a door in the side of the upper chamber, each chamber being bounded by vertical conductive peripheral walls, evaporator elements carried by said walls and means for supplying a refrigerant to said evaporator elements and for maintaining the temperature in the upper chamber above and for maintaining the temperature in thelower chamber below freezing, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the upper chamber terminating above the bottom thereof, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the lower chamber terminating below the top thereof to dene an intermediate area in the bottom of the upper and in the top of the lower chamber where no direct cooling of the walls is accomplished.

2. In a refrigerator, two refrigerating chambers one above the other, the sole access to the lower chamber being through the bottom of the upper chamber, a door in the side of the upper chamber, each chamber being bounded by vertical conductive peripheral walls, evaporator elements carried by said walls and means for supplying a refrigerant to said evaporator elements and for maintaining the temperature in the upper chamber above and for maintaining the temperature in the lower chamber below freezing, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the upper chamber terminating above the bottom thereof, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the lower chamber terminating below the top thereof to define an intermediate area. in the bottom of the upper and in the top of the lower chamber where no direct cooling of the walls is accomplished, a removable conductive partition closing the top of the lower chamber located within the area of no direct cooling and so positioned as to prevent exchange of vapor pressure between the two chambers.

3. In a refrigerator, two refrigerating chambers one above the other, the sole access to the lower chamber being through the bottom of the upper chamber, a door in the side of the upper chamber, each chamber being bounded by vertical conductive peripheral walls, evaporator elements carried by said walls and means for supplying a refrigerant to said evaporator elements and for maintaining the temperature in the -upper chamber above and for maintaining the temperature in the lower chamber below freezing, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the upper thereof to define an intermediate area in the,l

bottom of the upper and in the topof the lower chamber where no direct cooling of the walls is accomplished, the horizontal cross sectional area of the lower chamber above the area of direct cooling being greater than the horizontal cross sectional area of the remainder of the lower chamber.

4. In a refrigerator, two refrigerating chambers one above the other, the sole access to the lower chamber being through the bottom of the upper chamber, a door in the side of the upper chamber, each chamber being bounded by vertical conductive peripheral walls, evaporator elements carried by said walls and means for supplying a refrigerant to said evaporator elements and for maintaining the temperature in the upper chamber above and for maintaining the temperature in the lower chamber below freezing, the evaporator means associated with the walls of the upper chamber terminating above the bottom thereof, the evaporator means associated with the walls-of the lower chamber terminating below the top thereof to define an intermediate area in the bottom of the upper and in the top of the lower chamber where no direct cooling of the walls is accomplished, a removable conductive partition closing the top of the lower chamber located within the area of no direct cooling and so positioned as to prevent exchange of vapor pressure between the two chambers, the horizontal cross sectional area of theflower chamber above the area of direct cooling being greater than the horizontal cross sectional area of the remainder of the lower chamber.

' WILLARD L. MORRISON.

vREFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,769,117 Davenport July 1, 1930 2,031,237 Terry Feb. 18, 1936 2,127,991 Candor Aug. 23, 1938 2,131,680 Zahodiakn Sept. 27, 1938 2,244,900 Starr June 10, 1941 2,318,984 Atchison May 11, 1943 2,353,361 Rosebrook July 11, 1944 2,393,238 Dailey Jan. 22, 1946 2.487.259 Morrison Nov. 8, 1949 

